Shades of the Sunset
by love.of.the.moonlight
Summary: He generally has all of the answers. She has lost touch with the world around her. Sometimes the only way to prove that you are in your right mind is to blindly give in to insanity...
1. Foreword, Existence

_l.o.t.m Thoughts: Um, hello, this is love.of.the.moonlight! Here is my first fanfiction for Twilight, "Shades of the Sunset". I don't really know how the fanbase here is...so if you like it, please review, and if you don't, I could post some empty document under the same title for your flaming-enjoyment. Also, this is kind of**AU** with **some minor original characters** (don't worry - they won't steal Edward)._

_Disclaimer: I obviously do not own this. The only thing I own is the vast playground I call my mind._

* * *

Shades of the Sunset…

By: love.of.the.moonlight

_Foreword:_

**Dissolve **into memory. Allow every sense, every emotion to **bleed** away, while you sleep. While your life continues to be sustained, take the opportunity to revive your soul.

…Because I will watch over you for **eternity**.

…Because you will never lose this **dream**.

…Because no matter how many times we are **lost**, we are never truly finished.

We are intertwined in a way even insanity cannot explain.

_1: Existence (Edward)_

**Day** number 19,138.

Six thirty AM.

The first patient of the day - and she was new.

I could just feel the fatigue that today would cause, and it wasn't even mine. Still, I carried around a full mug of coffee for show.

A nurse fumbling with the keypad lock on the ivory white door prevented me from finishing my rounds. After repeatedly pounding the same five-digit code into the lock for the hundredth time, she cleared her throat, curling her right hand into a fist. I eyed her carefully, suppressing a laugh as she finally gazed up at me in wide astonishment.

_Crap! Now he's going to think I can't do anything!_

"Need help?" I offered smoothly, practically gliding over to her.

She gripped the metal door handle tightly while she pressed herself back into the wall. "Y-yes, please," she managed to squeak out.

"The code?"

_62001…_ her thoughts hinted, slightly ashamed. "Um, six, twenty, zero-"

A minute beep cut her off. I was already given access. "Thank you…Claire." I nodded in gratitude to her briefly, glancing at her nametag before slipping into the room with cautious celerity. "Could you help me with room 477 at noon?"

"S-sure!" She stammered, blushing furiously. "Anything, doctor!" After she dashed off toward the elevator, I closed the door noiselessly with a sigh.

"Okay, good morning…" I spun around carefully, with great care not to scare the new patient. The dazzling wide grin prepared for the meeting was replaced with a grimace of displeasure. Yes, today would be exhausting, even for me…

The colorless cot appeared uninhabited - the sheets pressed tightly against the mattress, no visible wrinkles showing. The wash bin and drawer looked untouched, even if investigated for fingerprints. Only the vibrant red suitcase lent color to the seemingly arctic cell, and it rested, unzipped before the cot. This intrigued me.

Leisurely, I sauntered toward the bed. Step by step. Meticulously. I had seen this trick before, and knew _exactly_ where the patient was, without even invading the mind.

For a moment, I lingered by the side of the bed, listening to the breathing and pulse that pounded rhythmically off of the walls. One of the benefits of these rooms was the unexpected and impressive acoustics. The beats were enthralling, almost feeling as if they were sinking through my skin, into my frozen veins. I was entirely and seriously intoxicated by the sensation - to the point where I felt my self-control slipping out of my grasp each second.

"Ah…ah-choo!"

The petite chirp broke me out of my thoughts. I shook my head to regain my awareness, and then bent down to peek under the bed. "Bless you," I whispered with a chuckle, setting my mug down gently on the grey and white checkered tile beneath me.

She stared at me, somewhat perplexed, with brown irises that rivaled the richness of the color of my coffee. Her small frame was pressed flat against the tile, the hairs on her arms proving that the floor was too chilly for comfort. A few strands of her long, full, auburn hair streaked across her face, clashing with her fair visage. Apart, the traits were awkward…but before me, it was heavenly.

Her creamy eyelids covered her precious chocolate eyes for the slightest moment while I observed in pure admiration. "Thanks." The voice was like a bell - minute at first, but with an intense crescendo through the reverberations.

I leaned back struggling with the abstruse attraction to her. "Please, why don't you come out and talk?" My voice was placid and honest, yet I could feel myself pleading inside.

She avoided me while she considered my offer, directing her watch to the bed directly above her. "I guess," she answered at last, rolling over and crawling out from underneath the bed.

I was already standing, stationed by the drawer to allow some distance between us. For a more natural tone to our encounter, I took a sip of the coffee. From my typical negligence, it was cold.

With an unreadable expression, she perched herself on the edge of the cot, studying her surroundings in open wonder. Her hands remained clutching the mattress, suggesting that she was apprehensive.

"So, what is your name?" I began, electing to give her a few more minutes before invading her thoughts.

"…Bella."

"Okay, Bella." I leaned my elbow against the drawer, striving to appear casual. "I'm Edward."

At that precise moment, she glanced up to meet my eyes. In all of the 19,138 days that I had spent here, I never felt a second pass as slowly as that one. Was it a call for help? Or an answer to my hopes for an angel to save me? I couldn't interpret it - but, perhaps it wasn't intended to be.

As she pulled away from my eyes, rouge tinted her cheeks. It gave her a healthy glow, like a blossoming flower. Timidly, she tugged on the sleeves of her grey sweatshirt, and cleared her throat. "Nice to meet you, Edward."

I nodded, observing her wordlessly. Still stunned, I brought the coffee mug up to my lips again, waiting for her to say anything else before the contents of her mind were unlocked to me. I took great pleasure in having this enigma before me, which created guilt in my conscience over what I had to do. But, I truthfully had no choice - if delving into her thoughts was the only way to help her, like the rest of the patients here, then I would do it.

"W-where…" She stuttered out, dazed. "Where am I?"

With a warm beam, I strode over to sit next to her on the bed. "Somewhere safe - I can promise you that."

Although her irises scanned the room in skepticism, her posture was relaxed as I settled in by her. "Fascinating…" she breathed out, closing her eyes to take it all in. This part of meeting a new patient always made me feel hollow. Nothing was simple about holding back the piece of me that could smother them with aid.

And the moment to read every aspect of her foreign life was now. I let all of my barriers that were keeping her out down and exhaled serenely, endeavoring to suppress my eagerness. She was within my reach in this instant…

Or so I thought. All I discovered was emptiness - sheer emptiness. It was as if no one existed in the room with me. No one at all.

* * *

_Before You Go...: Please tell me if you like reading an author's extra ramblings orwould prefer if they give those words a better use (like writing the next chapter). I also hope that I'm not copying anyone's idea - I searched with my title and key words in a summary, but I think I'm fine. _

_-Sweet dreams, love.of.the.moonlight_


	2. Prisoner

_l.o.t.m Thoughts:__ If you haven't reasoned so already, yes, this takes place in a hospital/clinic of some sort. Those institiutions have always held a compelling fascination for me, which I cannot describe. Back to the story - I won't pressure you to review, but it would be nice to hear some of the thoughts wandering around in your head (no matter how random they are)._

_Disclaimer:__ I obviously do not own this. The only thing I own is the vast playground I call my mind._

* * *

Shades of the Sunset…

By: love.of.the.moonlight

_2: Prisoner (Bella)_

**Was** security the message they wanted to convey? Because enclosed by four colorless walls did not appear "safe" to me - it felt sickening to my very core. White posed the question of where dark was. White was the signal that drastic measures had to be taken to preserve purity. And now, white pissed me off.

After the indescribable encounter with Edward, I remained in my bed, watching the shadows formed from the faint light that seeped into the room through the window above my bed. They were distant…just like him. Plus, they shared that entrancing "look, but can't touch" feeling. At least they kept me better company than he had, so far.

I dozed maybe every other hour. It was almost impossible to know, due to the absence of a clock in my cell. Heh, I was calling it a "cell" now - as if it were a prison. With the three meals delivered each day and nearly solitary confinement, it could have been one. Then again, I had only been there for two days…or at least, I hoped so.

He finally came to visit for the second time on the third day. Before that, nurses sporadically poked their heads in to make sure I was alive. Either I was reading or sleeping, which qualified as actions a living thing does. So, they left me alone.

"Hello, Bella," he greeted me with the slightest hint of nervousness in his liquidized amber irises. He stood far enough away from me to straddle the line between friendly and aloof. "Do you remember me?"

Unable to help myself, I spaced out, trying to imagine what his profession was. He couldn't possibly be a doctor - he was too young. Maybe he was an intern? Or even worse…a male nurse? The thought made me shudder. Sure, he was the most impressive man I had ever seen, but to waste his looks and talent on being a nurse-

"Bella!" His voice had a frustrated edge to it, a polar opposite to the gentle, persuasive, tone he used in his greeting. "Please, say something!"

In awe, I glanced up to find him clenching the side of the dresser. That action was strange to me. I hadn't been silent for too long, in my opinion. Perhaps I had offended him, and he thought I was ignoring him. "Sorry…Edward."

He rubbed his temple, as if he were trying to clear away a headache. "No, don't apologize. It's not your fault."

I sat up attentively on my bed, reflecting over his words thoughtfully. What he said was a half-lie. Something about me was bothering him - and it only made me want to express regret more.

"So," Edward began, changing the subject on me before I could react. "What is the last thing you remember?"

Absentmindedly my concentration had wandered over to the plain white door of my room. All I knew was…colors. Vibrant greens, soothing blues, and the comforting naturalness of russet - they all rushed to my vision again. I felt the cell become splashed in a hallucination of paint, a canvas flawed to everyone but the artist. Me. I could only hope that Edward would understand me. Somebody had to.

"Green…blue…and brown."

Out of the corner of my eyes, I caught him leaning forward in interest. It had to be belief that was driving him to act that way. What did colors say about my life to an absolute stranger? Nothing, possibly. 

"Are you comfortable right now, Bella?" He asked, less professional, and in a way that felt like it aimed to open my soul.

"Yes," I replied without allowing the question to reach my brain.

"Do you feel healthy?"

"Yes."

"…You haven't had any head trauma lately?"

"No, not that I know of." Odd question, but nevertheless, I responded.

He asked nothing else, permitting the words to be absorbed into the walls. I snuck a peek over at him, lost in thought. His posture was still bent over, but he appeared proper and focused. This meant that he was actually considering the words I said. Somebody. Finally. I felt like I could cry out in relief, but I restrained myself. If I did anything impulsive, I would ruin the moment, and ultimately, our communication.

He closed his eyes for a fraction of a second, and then was immediately at the door, his back to me. My lips, in a faint grin, promptly pulled into a frown. He was leaving again, wasn't he? Who knew how long it would be before he returned?

"Bella?"

"Huh, wha?" I flinched involuntarily, partially because I didn't expect him to say anymore.

His hand gripped the handle firmly while he paused, inhaling slowly through his mouth. "I'm…sorry that I can't help you right now. I don't know why, but…" I watched, impassively, while he shook his head to clear his thoughts. "I'll be back. When I figure this out - I promise."

The size of my eyes felt as if they had doubled in size at the mention of the word "promise". Even if I couldn't exactly interpret the fusion of disappointment and optimism rising in my chest, I swallowed hastily, and nodded in understanding. I almost felt helpless as I watched him open the door.

"I'll wait for you, Edward! I-I'll wait!" I blurted impetuously.

He did not turn around to acknowledge my comment. He did not stop for the slightest moment. But, he did have the most dazzlingly beautiful beam displayed on his lips as he left.

* * *

_Before You Go...:__ Yes, beginnings are long. And painful, sometimes. But don't fret - the action is coming soon..._

_-Sweet dreams, love.of.the.moonlight_


	3. Study

_l.o.t.m Thoughts:__ Here is the last update for today. Just an advanced warning - I have unlimited time at the moment...due to spring vacation. So, I will probably find a way to update eventually, but my main focus is to update as much as possible within this week. Warn me if the chapters are messy, okay?_

_Disclaimer:__ I obviously do not own this. The only thing I own is the vast playground I call my mind._

* * *

Shades of the Sunset…

By: love.of.the.moonlight

_3: Study (Edward)_

**In** total exasperation, I rested in my leather office chair clenching a stress ball filled with some sort of bizarre liquid. It expended all of my self-control to not pop the peculiar object. I had to vent my disturbance somehow - and this way was less noticeable than trashing an entire vacant patient room. Then again, they took quite a beating from the patients sometimes, so it wouldn't be that difficult to do…

"Excuse me, Dr. Cullen?"

I glanced up to find a nurse entering my office with a massive stack of manila folders. Paperwork…the only drawback to improving people's lives all day - and night, for me. Realistically, it would be done within the hour, if I focused intently on every patient. Yet, in the back of my mind, I knew that was impossible today.

"Thank you, Glenda," I tried to thank as sincerely as I could while I picked up a pen beside my laptop.

"Sure," she agreed with a shrug. "But I wouldn't thank myself for that load of work."

Although Glenda was in her mid-forties, she had an untouchable youth to her. She had transferred here two years ago and was probably the member of our staff that had been here the longest - except for Carlisle and myself - but never seemed to question our own suspicious ability to dodge wrinkles. The eventual fact that she would leave disturbed me sometimes. I could only believe that like everyone else, it was for the best.

"I can get through it. It's a pretty quiet day today." I began methodically marking down various X's to questions requiring a "yes" or "no".

"It definitely is, especially with the new patient. The poor girl looks so depressed that I half-expected her to throw a tantrum within the first few hours." _She acts like a soulless doll…_she expressed the extra concern in her mind.

To her observation, I could only nod while I fought to stifle the dissatisfaction over my situation with Bella. The scratch of my pen was more elaborate and drawn-out, giving Glenda the illusion that I was becoming deeply involved with the paperwork.

"I'll come back later." She turned to tiptoe inaudibly out of my office, but was halted by a question that I knew was bound to come. "When is-"

"Carlisle returning?" I completed for her, flipping over the form to fill out release dates. "In a few days…he said the weather for the conference was unbearable, so catching a flight may be trying."

"Oh, alright." Glenda gave me an appreciative smile. "I'll let you concentrate now."

I hesitated until the door clicked shut to work at break-neck pace. Names, dates, initials, conditions, and various other essentials flashed in front of my eyes for only the slightest second, and were precisely stacked in a pile to my left once completed. When the last sheet left my fingertips, I checked the clock. A new record was set - I finished within forty-five minutes.

Which left me to the underlying quandary…what was I to do with her? Could I wait long enough until Carlisle returned? Or would I end up trying anything in desperation? Had I overreacted when I believed deeply inside of me that I could never reach out to her? Then again, "never" was an extreme term to use - especially if I had forever.

I gripped the stress ball once more, and slumped back into my chair. Work never used to be this tiring. There was always a pattern - introductions, harmless prodding, realizations, and release. Yes, it was a boring routine, but it had done miracles for over 52 years at this particular institution, anyways. Now, I had to endure moments of empty silence, face an unreadable stare…and have nothing at all from her. Not one single thought or emotion-

But that wasn't entirely true. Not today. There was a surge of anticipation hinted in her eyes and something less identifiable - perhaps it was faithfulness.

_"I'll wait for you, Edward! I-I'll wait!"_

I wanted to reply, to say anything like a simple "thank you". My voice was abnormally stuck in my throat, a dehydrated feeling growing as I averted my gaze. So, instead, I smiled to myself, both then, and now, as I made my decision - without much rational thought.

I wouldn't make her wait long.

I would free her, one way or another.

And in the process, I would be freed, by her.

* * *

_Before You Go...:__ Interesting tidbit...when I first read __Twilight__, I thought that Edward was some over reactive piece of eye-candy that was on the verge of being an obsessive/abusive boyfriend. After reading the book four more times, that image has faded. That being said, first impressions aren't always pleasing. I hope mine was._

_-Sweet dreams, love.of.the.moonlight_


	4. Classic

_l.o.t.m Thoughts:__ I lied - but not on purpose! Thank you to the reviewers that were craving more. You helped me to work diligently before and after dinner, and create interesting excuses for not doing chores. _

_Disclaimer:__ I obviously do not own this. The only thing I own is the vast playground I call my mind._

* * *

Shades of the Sunset…

By: love.of.the.moonlight

_4: Classic (Bella)_

**Isolation** does extraordinary things to a person. It brings to light how dependant humans truly are on social interaction, gives a private instant to one to act honestly, and unweaves tightly stitched up memories that were tucked away long ago. In short, I was suffering mentally in ways that I never imagined were possible. Thoughts that I could not even distinguish as mine haunted me while I slept - when I slept. As I was conscious, I paced restlessly around the confinements of my cell, sporadically picking up a notebook that held quotes from my favorite classics and other various pieces of literary art.

_"…__but __because he's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same…" - Emily Brontë_

_"Ah, it is the fault of our science that it wants to explain all; and if it explains not, then it says there is nothing to explain." - Bram Stoker_

_"To hope, and not be impatient, is really to believe . . ." - George Meredith_

What struck me as odd about all three quotes was that they were on page twenty. Since the first two had been a few of my personal favorites, it would have suited them better to be on the first page. I glanced between the two pages, trying to come up with a reasonable solution, but in the end, I had nothing. This was the first time that my own organizational system had let me down.

After wasting a fair amount of thinking on the order of my favorite quotes, I slammed the pale jade cover of the notebook shut, and plopped it onto a pile of six more notebooks on the floor beside my bed. I wanted to cry - but not because things weren't going my way. To put it simply…I felt like I had misplaced myself. I couldn't find why or why _didn't_ I do something. The sense was overwhelming, and at that exact moment, I felt that I had to escape or drown in this vague shadow.

And that was when he opened the door again, so delicately, so unnoticeably that if it were any other person, the action would be disregarded. But that clumsy attempt at a sincere promise jumped out at me, and I found myself staring, perhaps with watery, bloodshot eyes, at him. His opulent ocher irises remained to the floor, while I gawked in mystified shock. Him. Here. His absence lasted barely a day, at most. Who knew that my great patience wouldn't be needed after all?

Another doctor followed behind him, with the same striking quality of looks and youth. He, too, held a vivid gold hue in his eyes, which I noticed when he greeted me with a respectful nod. Could they have been brothers? Or even angels, with their graceful movements?

Edward knelt down on the floor in front of me and I almost stopped breathing when his eyes flickered up to mine. Oh, god. _This _was the moment that I had always envisioned as so cheesy in romantic classics. It didn't seem as cheesy now.

"Bella, I'm back - and this is Carlisle." His voice was a silky, intimate whisper, reducing my mind to mush. 

"H-Hello," I forced out with a smile to Carlisle while fighting to regain function of my brain. Part of this reaction to him was probably from how quick he had moved from across the room to in front of my eyes in the progression of his visits. I didn't believe it would happen this quickly or effortlessly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella." Carlisle spoke professionally, standing behind Edward with a slight expression of worry in his tone. "I apologize that I wasn't in town when you were admitted."

"Oh," was all I could respond with, too concerned with trying to pull my gaze away from Edward. Why wasn't he looking away yet? He appeared so willing to do so last time.

Carlisle opened a file in his hands and flipped through a few pages until pausing on one that held his interest. "Isabella Swan, 17…admitted for extreme spurts of depression and amnesia that occurred…three months after the death of-"

"I'll read the rest of that later," Edward cut in more defensively than I thought was respectful to his fellow colleague. 

I let my gaze fall to the ground, severing our visual connection at once. I was grateful to Edward that he had stopped Carlisle from reading the file. There were things in there that I wanted to stay oblivious to, things that unbalanced everything that I had tried to patch up on my own. Unleashing them…I had no clue what it would do to me.

Carlisle cleared his throat, snapping the folder shut again. "Yes, well, we'll get to the rest of that later, I'm sure." He extended his hand for me to shake. I took it, surprised that it felt precisely like chilled marble. "We must attend to another patient. Edward?"

Edward sighed, and I felt his cool breath tickle my skin. "I'll be there in five minutes."

"Alright." Carlisle did not object, slipping silently out of the room.

I waited uncomfortably in absolute stillness, hesitantly glancing up to study his features. Luckily, his eyes lingered on the door of my room so I was free to trace every perfect line that I saw in my mind. One day, I would want to trace those lines with my fingers, just to see if their temperature matched the frozen skin I felt earlier. By now, I was sure that my usual anti-romance thoughts had surrendered without much of a struggle.

"So," I began at last, entranced by every captivating detail my senses drank in. "Did he help you figure it out?"

His fingers twitched as if they were about to move up and meet mine. "I don't know yet. But, I'm thinking this will be a joined effort…between me…and you."

Unable to help it, I grinned at him. _"Between _me…_and _you,_" _- I liked they way it sounded, especially when his voice echoed back to me from the walls.

"I think that's the perfect way to go about this."

* * *

_Before You Go...:__ Was that clearer? I wanted to be mysterious, but if all I'm going to do is confuse the readers profoundly, then I will restrict myself from doing so. Another warning - I probably will not update again today because my new favorite television show, "New Amsterdam" will be on in less than half-an-hour. Then, I will go back to fanfiction authoress mode._

_-Sweet dreams, love.of.the.moonlight_


	5. Linger

_l.o.t.m Thoughts:__ Yet another lie. This has broken my squeaky-clean image that I hoped to uphold. Yes, more reviews influenced me to finish this chapter (at 1:13 AM, might I add). Maybe I should consider rearranging my life for this..._

_Disclaimer:__ I obviously do not own this. The only thing I own is the vast playground I call my mind._

* * *

Shades of the Sunset…

By: love.of.the.moonlight

_5: Linger (Edward)_

**She **continued to fill my thoughts like the aftermath of a colossal storm. Every next move was shrouded in uncertainty, yet that danger was rewarding. I could feel her excitement course through my veins as if it were my very own. If I had to find a perfect description for it…she made me feel in sync with her. To become so accustomed to someone in such a short amount of time was mind-blowing. Still, I appreciated it, to a point where I found myself having aberrant daydreams about her. 

"Isn't Bella improving at an astonishing rate?" I sat across from Carlisle while he read his newspaper in the cafeteria and I leisurely finished up some paperwork. "I can't recall having a patient as willing as her…"

He flipped the page, nodding gently. "I must say that the first two 'steps' of your procedures are going smoothly." 

I leaned my elbow on the edge of the table, acknowledging his words. "True. What lies ahead may be more difficult for-"

"Both of you," he cut in with an atypical warning tone. Carlisle sighed, folding up the paper so he could express his point concisely to me. In a way, I knew this was coming. I couldn't hide the reaction I had to Bella - even when I tried, it wasn't very convincing.

"Carlisle…" I sighed, wondering how critical his lecture would be.

He paused for a minute, shaking his head to clear his thoughts. This was an action that I had never observed from him, which meant that my situation was more considerable than I assumed. No matter what consequences formed from this confrontation, I only wanted Bella to maintain her progress - with or without me.

"I have fully examined her file. She has a…tumultuous past, at least with the past year. I can see it in your eyes - what you want and what she needs is immensely different." His stare was paternal and comprehending. "Eventually, she will leave this place…and if she becomes too dependant on you, how will she ever completely heal?"

I moved my elbow off of the table so I could grip my hands together with all of my might in aggravation. He was right - about everything. The fine points that I hadn't even bothered to add into the equation were presenting themselves now.

"On the other side, she is healing you, as well."

That comment, I truly didn't expect to hear. He met my bewildered glance with an all-knowing beam. Where did he plan to go with this conversation, again?

"Thus…even though it goes against the code that I have for patients, I approve."

"Approve of..?" I couldn't help but question his words.

Carlisle allowed a musical laugh to escape his lips before taking a sip of his coffee. "Really, I didn't think you were that unaware. Everyone sees the flirting you do with her. Glenda's all for it, while Claire steams quietly in a corner."

I scanned the cafeteria self-consciously for a brief second. "How…will I do this, exactly?"

"Simply do what you have been doing for the last week. Talk with her, get inside her mind-"

"You know I can't do that," I muttered in a low voice as a few nurses walked by with their lunch. "I've practically exhausted myself trying."

He leaned back in his seat with his arms crossed. "You've taken enough psychology classes to know that there is more than one way to know what is going on in a patient's mind. Just because your special talent doesn't work on her doesn't mean you should give up on your other resources."

Internally, I flinched at his reminder. Perhaps I _was _slacking, but around Bella, I felt a peculiar synthesis of idleness and dissatisfaction that I couldn't treat her like other patients. It wasn't fair to her that I was so focused on what _didn't _work instead of what _could _work.

"Remember," Carlisle added while checking his beeping pager, "put her health first. Then, no matter what happens, you can do what is best for her." After those words, he vanished.

Ultimately, her mental health was all that was significant. These extra thoughts…dreams…ideas, were nothing compared to the main goal: repairing her life. I was meant to fade away, over time, while she finished experiencing what the rest of her existence had in store for her. But I couldn't do that, although I fought to pry myself away from her. She had attached herself somewhere within me, and now it pained me to think of how egoistically I had forced the notion that she needed me on her. I had unintentionally taken on the role of a parasite - being at her side to satisfy the stimulating sensations I had when she was nearby. Would she ever forgive me if she found out?

I shook my head. Of course not. She built up a diverse type of trust with me…which proved the point that any lie could tear it all down. So all I had to do was treat the lie as if it were illusory. Everything else, from now on, had to be an absolute truth.

Something that I had overlooked revealed itself to me when I thought of that. Her file. In order to be confident that I wouldn't uncover too many old wounds too soon, it was vital that I knew specifically what they were. Who had died? What relationship did they have with her? Those would be the most pressing questions to answer.

A timid tap on the back disrupted me from my thoughts. Glenda stood behind me, with a parfait and a coffee, as well as a raised eyebrow.

"Your pager has been going off for a full minute."

Unhurriedly, I glanced down to find my pager, in fact, beeping annoyingly. "Thank you, Glenda…" I stood up, stretching my arms into the air to give the appearance that I was weary. "It's been a draining day."

"Yes, maybe it's that thunderstorm that's coming…it's got everyone on edge." She stepped to the side to allow me to pass. _I can't believe he ignored a page for _her _for that long! _Her mind expressed the hidden disbelief she wouldn't dare to show to me.

"Superstitious, are we?" I shot back jokingly with a laugh as I started off toward her room.

"Not really. Just on days that feel special."

I couldn't agree more with her.

* * *

_Before You Go...:__ Interesting tidbit #2: I am highly superstitious. For example, in any sports event I watch, whether it is hockey or NASCAR, if I don't wear any of the several team colors for a game, they _will _lose. I don't know why, but it happens. Also, I am greatly sorry about the whole television thing. It helps with my...conversation. Yes, coversation._

_-Sweet dreams, love.of.the.moonlight_


	6. Thunder

_l.o.t.m Thoughts:__ I am deeply sorry that I didn't update at the insane pace I did yesterday (five chapters was a bit much). This chapter is probably the longest, thus far, and was my favourite to write. There is still lots of mystery swirling around Bella...but knowledge comes in time, doesn't it?_

_Disclaimer:__ I obviously do not own this. The only thing I own is the vast playground I call my mind._

* * *

Shades of the Sunset…

By: love.of.the.moonlight

_6: Thunder (Bella)_

**Rest** persistently evaded me as rain pelted the window of my cell. I wasn't childish enough that I was afraid of storms - they just allowed old images of that night to resurface at a disturbing rate. Tossing and turning until I was about to slide off of my bed, I toiled away in my mind to hold those memories in. Sweat beads rolled down my forehead, dampening my hopelessly tousled hair. Thunder crashed off in the distance, sounding comparable to the harsh noise of metal clashing with the woods. 

I screamed.

I cried.

I wanted out.

All of the air in my body seemed to lock itself inside my lungs. Suffocation drifted over my thrashing my body. This was what he felt. This was how petrified he was when…it was totally finished.

_"W-What do we do!" _I could hear my panicked shouts ringing in my ears while I fought to exhale. Like that night, my body felt constricted, contorted in a snaking heap of metal. My vision blurred becoming swallowed in one last color I forgot to mention to Edward - crimson. _"What a-are…don't tell me he's d-dead!"_

_"Calm down! We need to get out first!" _The voice feebly attempted to calm me down.

_"NO! I don't _care_! Get him _out_!" _I remembered my hands tearing at the wreckage around me. The scent of rust and salt forced me to hesitate and gag. _"Get him out! _Now_!"_

_"Okay, I will! Just climb out of here first, Bella, and call-"_

"Oh, no. Bella?"

I moved my eyes away from my face to view the door. It was Edward, strangely here again when I felt as if that void could consume me. He fluidly moved in front of me, flicking my light on at once.

"What's wrong? You can tell me." His wide faded tawny irises searched my expression in slight alarm.

"I…It's just the rain," I lied, pressing a cool hand to my sweaty forehead. At last, I felt my breath rush out of me. "Probably some silly nightmare, you know?"

I don't know if it was because he saw through my excuse, or if he simply wanted to be one hundred percent sure, but he sat at the edge of my bed, picking up one of my notebooks to page through in interest. Staring at him in astonishment - not because he was reading some of my innermost thoughts in the poetry notebook - I noticed how casually he was dressed. He wore a red and white polo that seemed to be from some renowned California brand that I would never in a million years recognize and faded blue jeans. Edward did not strike me to be that kind of guy.

"Are you…going somewhere?" I questioned cautiously as the shivering commenced. At my inquiry, he dropped the notebook over the side of the bed.

He leaned forward to drape a few covers over my shoulders. "Yes, but just for a while," he admitted. 

"Oh, okay…" New thoughts swirled around my mind. He was young, had a successful career, and looked like the most pallid Californian model I had ever seen. Judging by the casual, yet fashionable attire, I reached a basic conclusion - my doctor was going out on a date. "Do…you mind if I ask where?" I prodded in embarrassment.

"It's going to be a quick outdoors getaway. Nothing too fancy - I do it every month." He rested one of his arms over his knee while he gave me a suspicious look. "What about you, Miss Questionable?"

I wiped my eyes furiously in an instant, to try to seem normal. Every month? Scratch that - we now had a steady girlfriend theory. "Just because I woke up screaming doesn't mean there's anything wrong."

His stare in reaction appeared to say "here it does".

"Um…am I keeping you?" I eyed lamp, desperately wishing it were off. Although I had spent so much time with Edward in the past few days, I still felt uneasy staring at him every chance I had.

"Not at all."

"But, aren't you making…anyone wait?" There it was. I finally said it. Curiosity had gotten the best of me. Part of me wanted to know the answer for closure, but the other half was too terrified to hear the response I despised. 

The reply he gave me absolutely cleared my memory of what happened before he came in. "No one. I go on these trips alone or with a family member, mostly."

"No one…" I echoed, feeling my eyelids droop in relief. Having that knowledge sedated me, like a heavy anesthetic. "I guess that gets…kind of lonely."

"It doesn't last as long as you think," Edward clarified, watching me with immense care as I swayed while sitting up. "Like the rest of your energy."

"I'll be fine," I objected, rubbing my eyes. "I don't want to return to the ugly place we call 'sleep'."

He shook his head, standing up to turn off the lamp. "Believe me, you take sleep for granted." His hands grasped my sheets and pulled them over my still body. I couldn't help but gape up at his almost illuminated golden eyes. They were losing their vivid brilliance as each second passed. If I could keep their plush mesmerizing force in my imagination, maybe slumber would come without much of a complaint.

"If I come back earlier than usual, will you promise to rest more than you ever have in your life?" Edward asked as he stood before my door. 

My nod was eager to his request, even though I knew that would be a difficult deal to uphold on my part. "I'll try, if that will satisfy you."

He flashed me a suave beam through the darkness. "That will be more than enough to satisfy me. Sweet dreams, Bella."

"Happy…um, vacation?" I squinted through the shadows, wondering if I gave him one of the stupidest send-offs in my life.

All that I could detect in reply was a fleeting chuckle. The door clicked open, sending in a few dim rays of light. "Let's go with 'hunting'."

I shrugged and snuggled underneath the smooth covers, hearing the thunder gradually becoming more and more far away. Maybe he was right about sleep being attainable. "Happy hunting, Edward. I hope you thoroughly enjoy it."

The door closed effortlessly, and so did my eyes. I was a girl that could keep my promises. I was a girl that gave things her all. Could I prove that I was a girl that Edward would want to spend every extra minute with?

* * *

_Before You Go...:__ I recently put up a poll on my profile to see who everyone thinks died. This was brought up from a review from _Luvntwilight_ that made me go, "hmm...what does everybody else think?". It would greatly be appreciated if you left your guess at the poll or in a review. Thank you, deeply!_

_-Sweet dreams, love.of.the.moonlight_


	7. Revitalization

_l.o.t.m Thoughts:__ After a considerable amount of research on everything from Volvos to oak trees, I have another update prepared. I apologize if it is messy - I rushed to proofread it this time. The next update will be tomorrow, and no earlier! My brain needs to recharge it's batteries so I can maintain this pace of work._

_Disclaimer:__ I obviously do not own this. The only thing I own is the vast playground I call my mind._

* * *

Shades of the Sunset…

By: love.of.the.moonlight

_7: Revitalization (Edward)_

**How** I managed to concentrate on hunting was an inclusive mystery to me. I completed my trip with maximum efficiency and fulfillment, fervent to be back on the road prior to daybreak. My electric silver Volvo S80 pulled out of its hiding spot in the woods before my favorite radio talk show began in the morning, partly due to the remarkable rate at which the weather improved.

I left the sunroof open, allowing the invigorating wind of a new day to dishevel my hair. Never had I been so optimistic for the sun to rise. My being was rejuvenated, my comfort having new meaning, and my faith existent, for once. This must have been what Carlisle meant by how I was healing. Time had showered a coat of dust on me…and _she _had rinsed me clean, like the rain.

To touch her pure innocence was tempting. The further I spent time with her, the clearer the rhythm of her heart became, taunting me. How I loathed the sluggish pace at which days were passing, making my game of patience grow and grow. But, I realized that it was worth it. Testing my restraint was the best way possible to improve myself for whatever lay ahead.

The Bluetooth controller mounted on the dashboard hadn't alerted me of any new calls for the past few hours, leaving the CD I had slipped into the stereo system to play without interruption. I left my strictly for business Voyager cell phone in the front storage compartment, for lack of a better place. When I thought about it, it was poor judgment for _me _to leave her for so long. I couldn't calm my paranoid thoughts.

Exhaling deeply, I leaned back into the midnight black perforated leather of the driver's seat. Absolutely nothing went wrong in the minute amount of hours that I had been absent. She promised to be in a much-needed state of rest and I…well, I was only ten minutes away. I glimpsed out of my tinted windows at the blur of olive that was supposed to be a forest around me. There was nothing else in the world that I wanted to see more than the colorless walls of her room in that instant. Watching her sleep, listening to her heartbeat, imagining her dreams…

I pressed down on the gas with more force, edging the speedometer needle higher into extreme ranges of velocity. I could be there before she woke up. Now, forever, it didn't matter when. All of this was rushed and illogical, but like speed, it had a gratifying sensation that wasn't always comprehendible.

Within a matter of minutes, my vision caught the familiar stone grey walls of the clinic looming beyond the woodland. I turned down the dial of the volume to my soft jazz music to a low murmur and switched the sunroof closed as the rays of the sun persisted to crescendo in intensity.

At last, I swung into my usual parking space, covered by a dependable shady oak. I reached for my lab jacket in the back seat and shrugged into it, knowing that the locker would be open later to change into more formal apparel. While I flipped open the storage compartment and slipped my phone into a jacket pocket, I unfolded my polarized sunglasses and slid them over my eyes. Now, I was prepared for work.

I strolled at a painfully deliberate rate through the sheltered lawn, avoiding the sidewalk as usual, to enter the main doors. A few visiting families waited in the lobby with a varying array of expressions - both internal and external.

_"Ugh…how many more months do we have to sit through _this_?"_

_"Please, please, I hope that after the next two visiting sessions, he can come home. Managing the household alone hasn't been easy."_

_"I wonder if she'll remember me. This could be the wrong time, but I can't stay away from her for much longer…"_

While I gently tuned out the excess thoughts, I removed my sunglasses, walking up to the front desk so I could receive my morning files. Claire set down the telephone and lifted a stack of two folders onto the counter. I took them, but gave her a gaze of disbelief.

"Carlisle said that those two cases would do it for today." The ring of the telephone prevented her from saying anything else to me.

The two names on the files read as follows: SWAN, ISABELLA and HARDIE, JUNIPER. It would have made sense to check up on old Mrs. Hardie first because she would be released in a week, and only required no more than twelve minutes of small talk. Yet, I couldn't sit with Mrs. Hardie nodding and adding the occasional "yes" when my thoughts were elsewhere.

Concealing my desire to rush, I courteously allowed five nurses to take the last comfortable quantity of room on the elevator. I would have run up the stairs…but that would give off the idea that I was up to something secretive. The whole institution had knowledge that I devoted nearly all of my unused time to her, but acting guarded would add unnecessary stress to both of us. Everything had to be done right to make this have the slightest chance of being successful.

I stood outside of her room, ready to peek into the window to see if she was awake yet. Despite the diverse noises of clinic life near me, I heard utter silence. I remembered the soothing tempo of her pulse washing over me like a wave from the dawn tide. After a relatively calm breath in, I reached for the keypad.

And that was when Glenda's thoughts halted me. _I guess he didn't get the memo that her bath compartment is ready for use…_

"Good morning, Glenda," I greeted her without turning around. "I saw that Bella isn't in her room." My diminutive lie left my lips effortlessly. 

Glenda laughed evenly, shuffling a few papers in her arms. "You'll have to come back later - she's taking a long, warm, relaxing bath."

All of my self-control had been spent containing my impatience that I let my disappointment broadcast itself plainly on my face. "Mrs. Hardie, here I come," I announced with a limited amount of enthusiasm as Glenda gave me a cheery grin.

* * *

_Before You Go...:__ Heads up! Now allowing anonymous reviews (please do not spam me, or this luxury will be regrettably taken away). So, please enjoy this new privilege (and yes, in chapter six, our Edward was wearing Hollister...don't kill me)!_

_-Sweet dreams, love.of.the.moonlight_


	8. Fantasy

_l.o.t.m Thoughts:__ My music teacher yells at me when I give excuses, so I won't give them here either. But, some days end up busier than expected... I hope that the length is more satisfying, though!_

_Disclaimer:__ I obviously do not own this. The only thing I own is the vast playground I call my mind._

* * *

Shades of the Sunset…

By: love.of.the.moonlight

_8: Fantasy (Bella)_

**Miniature** reflections of colorful light were temporarily suspended in each aromatic bubble I held in my hands. The tepid water surrounding me released knots in my muscles that I didn't even know existed, handing me back to the serene state I woke up from. This surreal and lavish bathroom that was evidently "mine" reinforced the tranquility. I felt like I had been transported from my monotonous cell to a visualized spa.

The enclosing walls shared the "absence of color" theme that the place must have been built around, but the gleaming tile lent additional light to the room. To the left, where I soaked, was the spacious bath that had all of the characteristics of a hot tub, and on the right, an equally impressive shower and toilet. My personal essentials had been moved from the nurse's locker room - where I had previously dealt with my hygiene - to a small cabinet underneath the double marble sinks. On opposite sides of the sinks were crystal bowls of potpourri that contained a heavenly lavender smell. The nurse attending to me lit a few candles and set them on the ledge by the foot of the bath tub. Their fresh linen scent was reminiscent of home to me.

I gathered a few suds in the corner of the tub near my shoulder. When would Edward return? From my personal experience with relatives and hunting trips, they generally took place on weekends, so the men could have "nature bonding time". Even though my dad preferred fishing, the rules appeared to be the same. So, how could Edward have a fairly enjoyable hunting trip within one night?

While the suds in my hands popped with a tiny hiss, I took a deep breath, and then submerged myself for a couple seconds underwater. All of this comfort I was bundled in…didn't make much of a difference. I was, in fact, carrying around unsettled feelings, just like at home. There was a part of me that wanted to drown, releasing everything I was too afraid to handle into thin air. But something held me back, being more welcoming than any of these flowery indulgences - and I never imagined that it could commence with basic eye contact.

I resurfaced, gasping for oxygen and rubbing water out of my eyes. One thing I couldn't deny was that I was fantasizing about my doctor every day and every night. As far as I knew, that was wrong - highly criminal, even. Hadn't I read a book about that before? Didn't I learn that it ended disastrously?

Obviously my logic was failing to advertise its point to me. I longed to depart from this confinement with him and stay somewhere secluded, still. A location that felt as if it rested on the brink of eternity…I wasn't even sure if such a place existed. Somewhere he could tell me the substantial stories of his life and where I could liberate myself to unbolt the lock on my agonizing nightmares without trepidation.

A small buzzing noise came from a speaker above me in the ceiling. "Sweetie? Are you almost done?" The motherly voice from earlier asked.

I looked around in astonishment, wondering if I had to press another button to respond. The only button-like objects around me were the heat settings for the bath water. "Yeah, I'll be out in a minute," I uneasily yelled up to the speaker. 

Nervously, I climbed out of the water, wrapping a towel around me that had been hanging on a nearby hook. My lips let a faint sigh pass as my feet touched the cozy cream bath rug underneath me. I swiftly dressed into the jeans, gray v-neck tee-shirt, and blue zip-up hoodie I left for myself on the sink, and was almost finished combing through my hair when the nurse arrived.

"Oh, good - you received the memo." She made her way over to the bathtub to pull up on the drain. "It's wonderful that you're almost done. You have quite a large amount of people waiting for you."

I pressed my damp hair once more with the towel before tying it up in a ponytail. "I have…visitors?" Next, I worked on folding my pajamas.

"Just one, but first you have to meet with Dr. Cullen - Edward, for you, I mean."

The tee-shirt I was folding dropped to the elegant tile. "His last name is Cullen?" I felt my mouth hang open in surprise while I gawked helplessly at the nurse. "I never knew that!"

She handed me the shirt, then waited for me to drop my clothes into a moderately large tote my mother bought for me one summer to use at the beach. I followed her out of the bathroom, and waited for her to switch off the lights and lock the door behind her.

"If you ever need to use this room, just ask, and we'll bring you down - even if it's in the middle of the night."

Nodding wordlessly, I kept close to her, waiting tolerantly for the elevator to reach our floor. Forcing myself to remain silent was the only way to contain my exhilaration. He actually returned, as promised! My heart was practically throwing itself against my ribcage when we came out of the elevator and he was leaning against my door.

But he barely paid any attention to me when we met him. He drifted over to the nurse murmuring in a concerned manner.

"She isn't ready for visitors!" He hissed in her ear.

The nurse shook her head firmly. "She meets the first point of criteria, 'qualified resident for one full week'. There is nothing else in the way-"

"I _know_ she's not ready. Please, believe me." The pained momentary look he gave me caused guilt to rise in my throat.

"I'm sorry, but Carlisle cleared it already. Besides, the poor boy has been waiting since visitation hours began."

Edward turned away from us, clenching his hand into a taut fist. "Oh well…it can't be helped." He focused his attention on me while punching a code into the keypad by the door. "Did you have a pleasant night?"

I swallowed hastily and managed to respond with a composed "yes". "How about your trip?"

He took a few extra folders from the nurse before leading me in. "The usual. So, are you excited for this visitor?"

I slumped onto my bed, shrugging while I set the tote down underneath the bed. Trusting Edward and his opinion subdued the earlier amazement that someone would really come for me. Now, I didn't have a set side that I was on.

"Well, let's get this over with, shall we?" He suggested with a forced grin. For the first time since I met him, he offered his hand to me. I was thankful that I lay on the bed - otherwise, I would have fallen over from stunned incredulity.

"You're right," I admitted at last, grasping his hand. The connection was like the first time I felt ice - so glossy and frozen to perfection. From the abnormal sensation, I quivered slightly. 

He pulled me up with little effort, and opened the door again for me. We walked, in content peace to the elevator, then eventually the lobby. I studied the different floors carefully because I couldn't remember what they appeared like when I was admitted. There wasn't truly much to see - only the forgettable white walls and occasional flourishing green plant in the corners.

We came to a stop in the lobby, by the front desk. Through the sea of people, I doubted that I could recognize anyone. No one noticed me in their chairs, waiting to visit their loved ones. Maybe this person left already?

"Edward?" I edged myself closer to him in anxiety.

But his voice didn't address me earliest. It was a memorable, comforting, and amusing voice, instead. It sketched a vague picture of his face before I glanced behind me to view him. The other survivor…

"Hey," he held a hand up in a half-wave, displaying a smile that was encouraging, but showed that he was plainly tense. "How are you doing?"

Although my stomach felt as if a brick had been hurled against it, I strained myself to stand up straighter and return the enthusiasm. "Okay, I suppose…"

Edward leaned over next to me, yet still allowing me some space - if three inches could be called space. "Do you remember him?"

With a constricted sense in my throat and stinging eyes, I nodded. The event we went through…wasn't the kind that you would completely disregard easily. "Yeah, I honestly do." 

After I spoke those words, I instantly wished I was underwater for a few more minutes…

* * *

_Before You Go...:__ Proofreading this chapter was too rushed for my liking, but all will be forigven - eventually. I was surprised to see Charlie as pretty popular choice in my poll (but he was behind Jacob). I hope you are excited as I am to make some huge discoveries next chapter!_

_-Sweet dreams, love.of.the.moonlight_


	9. History

_l.o.t.m Thoughts:__ Another chapter completed - although not as long. The identity of the mysterious fatality is finally revealed - and yes, he was in the poll because I even voted for him!_

_Disclaimer:__ I obviously do not own this. The only thing I own is the vast playground I call my mind._

* * *

Shades of the Sunset…

By: love.of.the.moonlight

_9: History (Edward)_

**This** was worse than I expected it to be. I was positive, down to my core, that she would be overwhelmed and overreact. Not that I didn't have any faith in her - but she was _fragile_…she needed time, not memories.

"Bella…who is this?" I urged her tolerantly, sensing her body tense up out of the corner of my eyes. His height was imposing, but with his posture, it came off as awkward.

"Uh, this is Jacob Black, my friend," she introduced the visitor, proceeding to withdraw further into herself. In a matter of moments, she would be absolutely vacant if I didn't interrupt her.

Jacob, who was displeased with the reaction he evoked out of Bella, refrained from shaking my hand. He gazed around the lobby, at a loss of what to say next. It was ignorant of him to come here, expecting her to be the same person, in my opinion.

"Should we go somewhere more private?" I recommended to both of them, pointing to a hall leading to visitation rooms.

"Sounds good," Jacob agreed his gaze welded on Bella, who kept looking away. As he strolled along behind us, I grappled with the urge to respond to each of his innocent, but irritating thoughts. _Why isn't she looking at me?_

Because she isn't ready to deal with her past yet.

_When is she coming home?_

I sighed while I dug a key out of my pocket for visitor room number two. "Please refer to reason above," I wanted to snap at him.

_Does she still blame me for Mike's death?_

As I pushed the door open, I froze, trying to give Jacob a warm smile as he entered the room. Yes, that was correct - I had scanned through the file before I left to hunt. Mike Newton had died in a car accident that both Jacob and Bella survived. Bella was tremendously distressed…but I didn't believe that it was because their personal bond was too intense. She must have held responsibility for him, or at least to others. Jacob's understanding of the situation was minimal because he was visiting Bella before the crash, meaning that Mike was simply a stranger to him. Acquaintances held more depth on the conscience.

"Charlie really does miss you. He says that the house is quiet." Jacob settled into one of three bright cherry chairs, leaning his elbow on the armrest. Bella took the chair to his left, and I settled on the end next to her. "But he knows that you'll be better soon."

Bella turned her head away, holding in a sniffle. She couldn't help it anymore - the tears were coming promptly and with too many to prevent. Furtively, I snaked my arm into her chair to drop a tissue onto the hand balled into a fist at her hips. I inclined forward in feigned interest to Jacob's comment and tried to comfort her with an encouraging beam.

"She has made remarkable progress already," I mentioned to Jacob after clearing my throat. "Healing can become difficult in the middle, so it's hard to tell exactly when she will be released." After I spoke those last words, I felt the previous barrenness that resided inside of me seep into my mind again. She just arrived - why did we have to discuss her departure so soon? I wasn't healed quite yet and neither was she.

Jacob dropped his head. "You're right. We can't force this on her. I mean, that's what probably hurt her in the first place."

From his thoughts, I knew he was genuinely striving to sound concerned, but he was aggravating the situation - and me. I watched vulnerably as Bella turned her face into the chair to blow her nose. Since there was little of their relationship that I grasped, I couldn't become overly involved in the conversation…yet I couldn't stay out of it either.

I checked my watch for effect, although I cared less what time it was. Each second that Bella continued to suffer locked with her thoughts was grueling enough to tolerate. "I'm sorry, Mr. Black, but I have a lunch appointment scheduled in fifteen minutes. Perhaps you could stop by in another week?"

He cringed at my address, but nodded devotedly. "I'll definitely be here." Somewhat worried, he reached over to place his hand on one of Bella's tight fists. "We can get through this. I promise you."

I rose to usher him out, giving a passing glance to her. She dropped her face in her hands, powerless to contain the rush of emotions coursing through her. I was right. Not only was it excruciating for her…but I felt that excruciation amplified ten times by the uncertainty I had. How could I repair her after what happened? Was it even possible for me to do so?

Jacob and I stood outside the room, noiselessly in the hall for a minute. His thoughts were jumbled, rushed, perplexed. He perceptibly found out that the Bella he knew was still absent. The hopes he had for a miracle were dropped now. And I couldn't find a decent explanation that he would comprehend without discontent.

He finally turned to speak to me, his expression bluntly stating what I had found in his mind. "I'm…going to trust you. So, please, show her the sunlight again. I don't know how to pull her out of this…this ugly _midnight _she fell into."

With the most sincere nod I could, I conveyed my sympathy to his desperation. "I have every intention of releasing Bella to the world she used to know - and possibly more."

"Thank you, doctor." Probably weighed down with gratitude, he sprinted down the hallway, but not before I could catch one more thought. _I love her so much…that it hurts to think that I might have been the one to hurt her…_

* * *

_Before You Go...:__ Answer to reader because I am psychic - no, I do not hate Jacob Black (...to an extent). I just know that in the characterization I've observed from the books, they can't help but be immensely annoyed with eachother. If it hurts to read for Jacob fans, I apologize...for Edward fans..._

_-Sweet dreams, love.of.the.moonlight_


	10. Resistance

_l.o.t.m Thoughts:__ Alright, time for Bella's reaction. I must say, that although she has this fierce stubborn quality to her, I am amazed by how quickly one person can get her to lower those defenses..._

_Disclaimer:__ I obviously do not own this. The only thing I own is the vast playground I call my mind._

* * *

Shades of the Sunset…

By: love.of.the.moonlight

_10: Resistance (Bella)_

**Chilling** numbness flowed through every inch of my skin as Edward led me to my room. I didn't feel like I was in my own body. My being was suspended with my conscience somewhere unidentified to myself. If I would ever regain control of it again…depended on my thirst for existence.

"Bella, I know that you aren't feeling like yourself right now…" Edward began, lengthening his steps before we reached my room. He came to a halt just feet before the door. "But I need to hear your voice. One word, so I can know that you're alive in there."

Did he really need me to clarify that for him? Lately, I been daydreaming that eventually we wouldn't need to converse because he could interpret me so well… But this was ridiculous. The way he treated me back there - like some standard mentally-unstable-girl case - made his feelings for me clear. He had none. My daydream was exactly what the "dream" part meant - an asinine fantasy that belongs in the minds of stupid and bored people.

I shook my head in defiance, directing my stare to the keypad. He was _not _going to worm his way into me, establishing a façade as a friend. Here was the rational thinking that had backed down earlier to his charismatic attentive acts and chivalrous aura. Now, it was alive, aggressive with a fury that escalated with every tear I shed.

He entered the code into the digital lock without a word, and then allowed me in first. I flung myself onto the bed, face down into the pillow. If he didn't leave within the next minute-

"Bella, I'm not asking you to speak for…academic reasons." His melodious voice drifted to my ears amiably. "The way I am with the rest of the world…and _you_ - they are two polar opposites for me."

I lifted my head off of the pillow to rest my cheek against it. How did I know he wasn't deceitful? I counted the number of truths I knew. There were so many that I had clipped to my heart…but what if they were lies, disposed to infect the rest of me like a poison?

"These reasons could be purely selfish," he admitted, kneeling down by the side of my bed to meet my eye level. There was no where for me to hide now, but my newfound intrepid nature stared vacantly back. "But I only want to hear one word from you. No, a name."

I couldn't help but arch an eyebrow at that. He wanted me to pronounce a single name. Would I cave in and do it? How would he react if I didn't? Then again, it depended on the name…

"Mine."

My lips parted, releasing a frigid gasp of bewilderment. The demand, with its simplistic deliverance thrilled me in a way that instinct took all power. I could say his name right now. 

In a whisper. 

In a scream. 

In a way that hovered in-between.

There was no rejecting it - I couldn't trick myself into believing that anything about Edward Cullen was a lie. His approach to me…was so natural, so intimate that I had no resistance against him. He wasn't the only one with egotistical desires. I longed to gaze into his alluring topaz irises, indulge my fingertips with the touch of his flawless ice sculpture of a body… All of that and more were attainable to me at the moment. The possibilities almost made me swoon.

"Edw-" I started, probably intoxicated by my own emotions.

Something hidden - possibly reason - told me that I wouldn't be able to finish speaking. "Dr. Cullen! We have an emergency on floor three!" A nurse announced breathlessly as she intruded through the door. "Hurry! This is exceptionally important!"

I closed my eyes, hearing Edward ascend to his feet. "I heard it. Not all of it, but I'll hear it later, right?" His words seemed as if they were delivered in a personal murmur. Seconds later, the slam of the door ensued.

He was true with me all along. Always straightforward, enduring, protective…the kind of vision that people assumed belonged in fiction. Yet, he was present in my life, and by sheer coincidence, it seemed. I wouldn't refuse him any longer - attempting would exhaust my soul. In some peculiar phenomenon, insanity thrust me into the arms of love.

* * *

_Before You Go...:__ Interesting tidbit #3: I initially wanted Bella to give away who died, but then I would have to describe all of the wacky emotions that come with __reminiscence. So, I figured that it would be more logical to feel the powerless agony Edward has __knowing that they have to simply make it through a brief visit. Much more impactful, in my opinion._

_-Sweet dreams, love.of.the.moonlight_


	11. Essential

_l.o.t.m Thoughts:__ Sorry for the delay - this was the most edited chapter, so far. I really tore apart the end, then reconstructed it, due to the fact that I felt disenchanted by what I had before. I do hope that I'm not making them too out of character - I wouldn't be able to forgive myself!_

_Disclaimer:__ I obviously do not own this. The only thing I own is the vast playground I call my mind._

* * *

Shades of the Sunset…

By: love.of.the.moonlight

_11: Essential (Edward)_

**Sitting** in the lobby with my noiseless Voyager at three AM was not how I imagined spending my night. But I was powerless against my occupation's demands. If something bothered a patient to the point of physical harm, regardless of what I was in the process of doing, I had to drop it and come to their aid. It only nicked at my being with reverberating tenderness that I had to leave _her_.

Claire turned the corner, carrying two Styrofoam cups of coffee. She helped herself to a spot next to me on the bench, handing one of the coffees over to me. "It's been four hours since the hospital called." _I'm sure you could go home now…_her thoughts implied.

I cradled the warm coffee gingerly in my hands, and then exhaled slowly. "Still, Carlisle hasn't returned yet. Something might have happened."

She took a sip from her cup then made a petite squeak of agreement. "Oh, I guess I never thought of that - since I've only been here for a few weeks…" Claire looked away down the hall in uneasiness. _He's always so intelligent and methodical!_

"Here," I addressed her warmly, offering her my cell phone. "You've had an exceptional run so far as a beginner. Could I ask you for one small favor?" For effect, I gave her the faintly sinister smirk her daydreams had been generating.

Her visage lit up at once. "Of course! I-I won't let you down!" With fatigue lingering on her features, she feverishly reached for the imperative technology. "What do you want me to do if there's a call?"

I folded my jacket over my arm, glancing back at her. "Write a memo and leave it on the front desk. I'll check them in the morning."

"Oh - okay!"

By precisely paced strides, I waited until I rounded the corner to toss the coffee into a trashcan then run thoughtlessly through the halls, avoiding the elevators, and eventually, to Bella's room. The only place I ever wanted to be anymore. Just being somewhere that reminded me of her presence…would soothe that urge to be lost in the depths of her eyes and tame that hunger ringing in the back of my mind demanding her heartbeat. There was a fine line between pleasure and restraint, but I didn't know how much longer it was before I crossed it.

My fingers typed in the code to her room in a second and I muffled the beep from the speaker underneath the keypad with my free hand before grasping the door handle. The entire floor held the slumbering blankness of night. I cracked the door open, refusing to breath, for concern of waking her up.

As I leaned down by the foot of her bed, she did not stir, remaining curled in her ideal resting pose. Her heavy exhales and incoherent mumbles in between commenced when I released sigh. A few minutes later, she adjusted to her back…then her side. Noticeably, her passive doze was deteriorating.

I set my head back against the wall, contemplating my next move. The conclusion narrowed down to two choices. Option one: I leave, and then reenter to administer assistance. Option two: I disclose the truth, and hope that she is too drowsy to have an excessive reaction. Being stealthy typically held immense entertainment to me. Now, it became draining. Living with reality was less work than weaving fabrications.

Her throbbing heart accelerated as I stood by her bed. Maybe she would recall our conversation earlier, creating this situation as later. I remembered the adrenaline my request induced in her that traveled directly to her mystifying chocolate eyes. She definitely would. She couldn't defy this magnetic pull any better than I could.

"H-How…no, it's all…please, listen!" The lucid exasperation in her tone and forceful volume confused me at first. Was she reliving part of her past in her dreams?

"What? Bella?" I bent down closer, relatively positive that she was still asleep. "You're okay…calm down…"

"Listen to me! It was _my _fault! I couldn't get them to…to listen - _just like you_!" 

"Bella?" Her bitterness stunned me when I tried to touch her shoulder. A sob escaped her distressed form, persuading me to give a second attempt. "Bella, I'm here."

"Finally…" She became subdued immediately under my contact. "Listen…everyone…" After she spoke, she rolled over, her eyelids fluttering for a brief moment.

I closed my eyes to compose myself before whispering into her ear. "Bella? I'm truly listening to you. Right now, only you."

Her eyes snapped open in pure incredulity. I recoiled, to a diminutive extent, expecting her to remain in slumber. She covered her mouth with her hand while rouge spread across her cheeks, even in the shadows.

"Oh, um. Were you…talking to me? Wait - how long were you in here…exactly?" The rhythm of her pulse seemed to settle into a steady cadence.

"Bella," I interrupted, avidly desiring one thing. "Can you finish what you were saying earlier?"

She gazed behind me in concentration, still lethargic. When her irises wandered back to mine, her lips were in a wistful grin. "Of course, _Edward Cullen_."

At her words, I had to blink. She said it - and added my last name. It was the most impacting yet simplistic event I had ever experienced. This surpassed anything I imagined would happen to me in my life - including my extended life. 

"Yes…" I exhaled, savoring the effect the memory of her words etched into my mind. "Now, we can discuss more important matters - like how I am desperately fascinated with you."

* * *

_Before You Go...:__ So, today I received the largest...flood, I guess of reviews and fans since I first posted (published?) this story. It encouraged me even more to continue writing, and hopefully expand to more stories - like a one-shot, perhaps? _

_-Sweet dreams, love.of.the.moonlight_


	12. Intensity

_l.o.t.m Thoughts:__ This chapter, too, went under intensive editing. I apologize if my brain is totally scattered today - we received an insane amount of snow and my eyes can't quite adjust to the blinding light._

_Disclaimer:__ I obviously do not own this. The only thing I own is the vast playground I call my mind._

* * *

Shades of the Sunset…

By: love.of.the.moonlight

_12: Intensity (Bella)_

**Edward**. Right here, in the middle of the night. Saying the most charming things…in a fluid voice that I thought would liquidize if I touched it. Whatever would result from this conversation, I predicted that it would be life-altering. Why else would my doctor be in my room, speaking of "desperate fascination"?

"Edward…I…" I forced myself to sit up, brushing stray locks of hair away from my face. "It's so late - no…early?"

"Early," he corrected, positioning himself informally next to me on the bed. His grey and red tie hung loosely around his neck, and the first few buttons of his black dress shirt were unfastened. I gaped, transfixed at the colorless marble it revealed.

"Right - early," I started again. "Don't be disappointed…but I kind of don't understand…what you're saying." I braced for impact, squinting my eyes closed.

His frosty hands clasped mine smoothly. It could have been the lack of functioning brain cells, but I could have sworn that they fit faultlessly. Like they were meant to be held that way. Mine, tiny and warm, guarded from the world in his shielding ice barrier.

"Take your time. You have plenty of it," Edward reminded optimistically in my ear. "Or, if you prefer, you can tell me what you feel at this exact moment." His cool breath skimmed my jaw, sending a wave of minute shivers throughout my entire body.

"I…well…" My eyes searched the room in a hazy dread. To confess my feelings to Edward was near impossible. Scratch that - unfeasible. If I couldn't find anyone worthy of this confession in a normal environment and pour my heart out to them, how could I expect to do so for him? Why was he doing this? Why force such a monumental event on this particular night?

"It's okay. You're still obviously fatigued." He tossed his jacket, which was by his side, to the floor. I felt his thumb brush the palm of my hand. Inspiration seemed to be stirred up by that plain action…which felt more like a static electric spark.

My attempt at a deep inhale was caught in my throat, but I continued nevertheless. "There are so many things…that I wish you could read from my mind." Were my words even rational? If not, I had no idea if he would realize what I wanted to convey.

He did not interrupt me, but I felt another breeze on my head - almost as if he were sniffing my hair? It almost sidetracked me, but I strained myself to finish, for him.

"But I don't want everything….to be given away. Because, I'm not….fully healed, right?"

I struggled for breath when he released my hand. Had I said something completely out of line? Or just insensitive to him? 

"You're right." Reluctantly, his voice pried away from my ears. I struggled to keep my hands away from him, so I gripped my wrinkled covers instead. "Are you sure you are okay - after those dreams?"

He changed the subject on me. An alarm went off in my head. I missed my chance to be unguarded with him. The only thing that prevented me from doing so was my muddled, mistrusting brain.

"They were…memories, actually." I rubbed my eyes, trying to clear my vision. "Of directly after the accident." My throat intuitively began to tauten. How was I going to mentally survive this…morning? Two vital questions presented themselves to me, neither of which requiring undemanding responses. Before I could decide which one to tackle, a gaping whole in my memory automatically filled itself in.

_"Come on, Bella! It won't be very long, I'm sure."_ The weak moonlight leant a diffused beam of radiance to the road. I remembered clenching the steering wheel tighter, hoping I could show them my authority.

_"Bella, trust the guy - he knows where it is. Besides, it _is _his car!" _Jacob persuaded from the backseat.

_"Please, guys, they're expecting us…" _Any trace of certainty in my tone seemed to fade, like the moonlight. I found myself drowning in helplessness. 

_"Here, just pull over. This will be worth it, Bella."_

This was not worth it. I didn't ask to have the rest of my friends probe me day by day about what happened that night. After I refused to answer, they would withdraw, carrying that malignant guilt on me. Couldn't they see? I didn't have any valuable replies - excuses or not.

I was the victim.

I was living in a subdued fog.

And no matter how many times I relived it in my head; I was ultimately responsible for the death of Mike Newton.

"Edward…how do I stop feeling dead inside? It's the worst pain that I've ever experienced…"

He met my gaze unswervingly, his expression in absolute consideration, then stood up to leave. "Go back to sleep. We can start more intensive work tomorrow."

Too drained to object, I nodded, throwing the covers back over me. It was already tomorrow. So, all I had to do was feign rest for a few more hours…because I couldn't willingly return to those nightmares. Not alone. 

* * *

_Before You Go...:__ Here is my official format for this story (just for fun): Zephyr font, size 11, Align left, Language English (U.S.) - for easier reading, single spaced. I'd like to track down Edward's font for his handwriting...but I don't know where it is!_

_-Sweet dreams, love.of.the.moonlight_


	13. Descent

_l.o.t.m Thoughts:__ I was bracing for impact - and it still came. The extreme edits were probably to blame because they disrupted the flow of the story. Still, I worked on some other projects, watched reality television (for once), and explored different music genres._

_Disclaimer:__ I obviously do not own this. The only thing I own is the vast playground I call my mind._

* * *

Shades of the Sunset…

By: love.of.the.moonlight

_13: Descent (Edward)_

**Carlisle** returned at exactly five forty-four AM. The patient passed away twenty minutes prior. A menacing daze wrapped itself around me, intent to asphyxiate my essence. I didn't even have the drive to tell it "too late".

He perceived my discontent at this letdown, placing a comprehending hand on my shoulder. "It was beyond our control, Edward. Maybe when we aren't as under-staffed-"

I nodded, clicking the shrill beeper off of my belt. Anything could have been said in return, but all I did was show him the pager and pace down the hall distantly until I reached the elevator.

Lying underneath my previous confidence remained doubt. Hesitation. Question. How could I ever completely guard Bella from _herself_? Making the mistake of leaving her alone this morning certainly almost put her in jeopardy. Carlisle was right that we were under-staffed in proficient doctors, yet we had more than enough nurses. I could be omnipresent if I wanted to, but that wasn't the correct way to administer the care these patients required.

I came into Bella's room with Claire, waiting in the corner while she did some basic tests - blood pressure, heart rate, etc. Those were required every other week, which would be put into her file to track her physical health progress. I watched out of the corner of my eyes, trying to envisage her any different than the way she was now. The closest I could come across was after the visitor came - and I knew that wasn't the lowest point for her. Everything that happened before she was admitted was an inclusive vagueness to me.

Claire clicked her pen closed, and tucked the completed files under her arm. "Okay, all set!" She flashed a dreamy, lively smile to me before slipping out of the room.

Remaining in my corner, I shoved my hands into my pockets, unsure of how to initiate our conversation. There were so many tones and topics to cover, and not sufficient time to address them all in one session. What was the most essential? What would be the best starter for a perceptive discussion?

"Are you tired?" Bella questioned, breaking me from my thoughts. When I glanced up, she averted her eyes to the floor. "I mean, you probably haven't gotten much sleep in the past few days."

"It was a hard night," I countered evenly. "We lost a patient."

"Oh. I'm truly sorry." She tugged on the sleeves of her forest green pullover sweatshirt. "It must be difficult for you-"

"I'm doing fine," I cut in fluently taking the stress ball from the pocket of my jacket. "Here." I tossed the stress ball harmlessly at her. Or so I thought.

It was aimed for her open hands, resting in her lap. But she must have had the most deficient coordination I had ever witnessed. She reached helplessly for it while it bounced off of her knees. I caught it effortlessly, moving a few more feet away from my corner.

"Here," I repeated, handing the ball to her. She took it gently, a slightly mortified blush spreading across her face. "This could help today."

"I was thinking," she began, studying the stress ball carefully. "That…maybe I could work backwards? Because when I try to think of what happened, it just…flies by, and I can't even interpret it."

"Sure," I agreed, taking a seat next to her on the bed, but leaving a certain amount of space between us. Ever since what I heard this morning, I would take particular measures to dampen the instincts tugging at me. "Is there anywhere you had in mind to commence?"

"The hospital," she breathed out at once. "It was the only place I felt…somewhat safe, oddly enough."

"What happened there?" I prodded encouragingly, watching a vacant look slowly overcome her expression. Patients often seemed as if they were imagining reliving the moment to extract additional details from their memories.

"I think I fainted when I first arrived. Then, Jake came to visit me, because he only had a few scratches while I had a broken arm…the doctors told us that Mike died when I woke up." She paused, giving the stress ball a squeeze. "I guess I knew that it was going to happen. He didn't answer when we were out of the car." 

"It's okay," I soothed leaving her side for a moment to bring a tissue box from her dresser. "Please, continue."

Bella sighed, blinking with watery eyes. "We were supposed to meet some friends at the movies…but Mike wanted to check out this myth that Jake told him about."

"A myth?" This minute fact caught me unaware. "Do you remember what it was about?"

She shook her head, and then brushed a few loose strands of hair out of her face. "Not really. But it was something ridiculous like vampires or werewolves…or something."

I cleared my throat, looking away briefly. "Yes, those are quite outlandish, aren't they?"

"So, Mike wanted to drive because the directions Jake gave him took us by a place he knew. They thought it would take ten, twenty minutes, tops. But…I wasn't in favor of it." I watched as she gripped her hands together in subtle unease. "The weather was going to be terrible, too. Soon we were on this dirt road, somewhere I couldn't identify and then…we slid off of the road."

"If you need to take a break," I offered, intuit that she could be going further than she was prepared for.

"But the bizarre thing is…I don't blame the rain or Mike. I thought something jumped out in front of us - and _knew _where we were planned to go."

"And how would you possibly know that?" I leaned back against the wall, curious as to where she would direct her point.

She sighed, gazing unequivocally at me. "As crazy as this sounds, I saw it all happen the night before, but I didn't stop it…"

I studied her, uncertain if a reaction were obviously presented on my face. What she told me expanded beyond what I expected. Not only was I dealing with her mind, but something more personal - the extraordinary.

* * *

_Before You Go...:__ It is immensely exhausting trying to keep fully faithful to the series, partially because I'm reading something other than them at the moment. For literature, I have two classics at once, and extensive reading for history. At least writing expunges the extra words trapped inside me - but in a good way._

_-Sweet dreams, love.of.the.moonlight_


	14. Whisper

_l.o.t.m Thoughts:__ love.of.the.moonlight reporting for duty with an unannounced update - which is a flashback, just for clarification. Is anyone else simply swamped with their education? I'm keeping up with it, but I can practically kiss free-time good bye..._

_Disclaimer:__ I obviously do not own this. The only thing I own is the vast playground I call my mind._

* * *

Shades of the Sunset…

By: love.of.the.moonlight

_14: Whisper (Bella)_

**Please**. It was such a straightforward word. A polite way to ask for what one desired. Or, perhaps a last effort to beg. To me, they were the final exact words I heard from Mike Newton's lips. Nothing held more guilt…more pain. Nothing at all.

I felt my eyelids snap open, my body protesting against the sudden and heavy breathing. Rain gently pelted against the window of my bedroom in a menacing rhythm. All of my surroundings were enveloped in darkness, with a few faint streaks of moonlight breaking through my shades.

I was alone - with my thoughts, with my fears…and with the lingering image of ominous onyx eyes. They implied a warning to me, yet not one of entertainment just to see my reaction. Those eyes gave the impression that something much larger than myself had to be protected - and at any cost. I shivered, pondering the dream. Almost all of my heart hoped that it was all a dream. A possibly sleep-medication induced dream.

Restless, I rolled out of my bed, descending the stairs at a painstaking pace to slow my pulse for a glass of water. This had been the third night in a row. I absolutely _could not _tell Charlie about this - he would send me back after Renée freaked out over the phone. Maybe after the movies outing the next day, scenes from the film would flood my mind instead.

Yet I couldn't keep all of this bottled up inside myself either. Honestly, I had no choice but…someway or another, if I couldn't vent these illusions, they would seep deep into my mind, creating immense paranoia. I had just moved here. The last thing I needed to do was give my new friends a reason to single me out, then have Charlie embarrassingly interrogate everyone he knew about why I cooped myself up in the house.

My fingers quivered as I pulled a clean glass out of the dishwasher, and then filled it half way with water. I plunked in a few ice cubes from the freezer before hastily chugging the liquid, ignoring the dull toothache forming in protest to the drastic temperature change. When the glass was entirely consumed, I sighed.

The electric clock on the microwave displayed 2:14 AM. I leaned against the counter, contemplating whether or not I needed to replenish my thirst further. Not enough, and I would wake up, parched - too much, and I would wake up, as well, but shuffling through the hall to the bathroom, hopefully not waking up Charlie. It was a delicate balance. And I could only handle so much thinking at such an early hour.

So I walked away, leaving the glass in the sink to rinse out and put away tomorrow. Maybe that was all that I ever needed - to leave my problems alone, somewhat solve themselves, and then jump in to clean it up for good. Dreams…weren't something to be taken seriously. I mean, I had read in a newspaper back in Phoenix that black in a dream symbolized danger and mystery, and that the woods stood for the unknown. But this column was right next to the horoscopes. Reliable or unreliable, I figured that proven statistics or a psychologist would have been more comforting. Until I had reason to be suspicious, all of my worrying was wasted. Charlie had once claimed that small towns were considerably safer than large cities. Why should I be so alarmed that a wild bunny or another ridiculously harmless forest creature would attack me?

I sat down on my bed, dragging the covers over my knees and staring out my window through breaks in my shades at the regenerative night. Tranquil from fatigue and questions pulsating through me, I remained still for a long time. The whole night to be exact.

Charlie had overslept, so he rushed out of the house with an unsecured travel mug of coffee sloshing over his uniform, and a door slam that resounded throughout the house. With less than ten minutes for a shower, he had no opportunity to peek into my room. I was always either retouching homework, reading, or waiting for the sluggish internet to connect, anyways. But today, he would have probably stood in the doorway, disregarding how late he was to his duty.

About five minutes after I was sure that he left, I crept out of bed to take a scalding hot shower. The torrid cascading water and green tea soap my mother had given me as a going-away present only seemed to lull me further to sleep. Before I felt the dizziness set in, I shut the water off, dressed, and then combed through my hair to let it air dry.

Jessica called as I began pouring granola into a bowl for breakfast. I listened to my lifeless, strained enthusiasm, echo back to me from the kitchen walls as she chatted animatedly about how she had planned everything out - the ticket prices, the seats, the snacks, who was driving with who. She was in control of everything. That should have made me more at ease, but it didn't.

"And aren't you bringing that kid from the reservation?" She asked for clarification as I reached into the refrigerator for orange juice. I had almost forgotten - I invited Jacob to further prove to Charlie that I could have a moderate social life.

"Um, yeah, that's right. Sorry if that was last minute," I apologized, knowing that she might have to rearrange the seating arrangement.

"No, that's fine," Jessica insisted, while the sound of shuffling papers accompanied her voice. "Hmm…I have to pick up something at Angela's, so…"

I waited, emptying the rest of the orange juice carton into a coffee mug. Striding over to a post-it note on the fridge, I pulled a pen out of a counter drawer and wrote "juice" on the lime green paper. Creating a list as the week went on made grocery shopping easier, as I had found. It ensured that I picked up food that was needed, as well as wanted, so that I wouldn't change Charlie's regular meals too much.

"I've got it!" She announced, and I set my mug down quickly, hoping that juice wouldn't splatter over the sides in my panic. "I'll ride with Angela, Ben, and Eric, and you and Mike can go pick up Jacob!"

"Oh, okay." I agreed indifferently. Lately, she had been suspicious about all of the attention Mike was giving me. Maybe she felt that since Jake was going along, that attention would be muffled. "I guess everything's set, then."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right, Bella. Well, I'll see you tonight!"

"Alright, Jessica. Thanks." I hung up the phone immediately, taking the yogurt from the fridge and scooping some into my granola. How could I _still _have that feeling that something unexpected would happen? I was going to be surrounded by people I was starting to be comfortable around, watching a movie that the critics raved about, and end up back home at a reasonable time.

If only life wanted to agree with that.

_

* * *

___

Before You Go...:

_ So, I had this on my computer (finished) for about a month. Yes, the truth is exposed. Honestly, I only have one paragraph of chapter 15 done. Hmm...maybe I'll just surprise everyone again - if this one goes well._

_-Sweet dreams, love.of.the.moonlight_


End file.
